Changed by the Heart
by SKBeliever
Summary: This is a BuffyAngel story. AU. Angel has realized a lot of things but is it too late for them now? Please read and review.!.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: This is a B/A story. Just read it, please! And review:)  
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I'm just borrowing the characters to write this story.

Chapter 1

_I want you to change.  
__I want you to change.  
__I want you to change._

The words echoed through his mind. Repeating itself numerous times now, he has lost count. He looked at her photo and gazed at it sadly. Her last words when she left him were bombarding his mind.

He has changed. He willed himself to change starting that very moment. He changed for her. If only she was here to see him.

_"911 emergency, what's the emergency?"  
__"A car accident... Someone help! God, she's not breathing... She's not breathing..."  
__"Calm yourself, sir, tell me the location of the accident."  
__"15th avenue, hurry!"  
__"An ambulance is on the way. Could you tell me the details of the accident, sir?"  
__"She was crossing... A car lost control... There's a lot of blood, oh god, she's not breathing... Help her..."_

He was arrogant, boastful, and narcissistic. Everyone hated him once they knew him. Only women who were after his body and his money kept up with him. At first he thought she was one of them.

_"Hi."  
__"Hi."  
"Could you spare a minute to answer a survey?"  
__"If you'd spare me a few hours over dinner tonight, I would."  
__"Could I just persuade you with a please? My boss just ordered me to hand these out."  
__"Fine."  
__"Thanks! Here, I'll just come back for it later."_

He looked at the survey and checked the first box for everything. She came back a few minutes later.

_"You sure you do not want to have dinner with me?"  
__"I'm pretty sure."  
__"Tell me then, what is the purpose of this survey?"  
__"You didn't read it?"  
__"No, I just checked the first boxes."  
__"At least you made some effort. Thanks again."_

She left without another word. He looked at her for a long time, trying to absorb the fact that a woman just turned him down. He figured she was just playing hard to get. He left a few bills for her tip and left the coffee shop. He waited in his car parked across the coffee shop that afternoon. She left after her shift, wearing simple jeans and a tee-shirt, a jacket, and a body bag. He left his car and crossed the street. She wasn't looking at where she was going, he purposely bumped into her. Gaining a surprised shriek from her.

_"I'm sorry."  
__"That's alright, I wasn't looking."  
__"Hey, aren't you from the coffee shop. Fancy bumping into you."  
__"Yeah, I guess. I'd better go."  
__"So you're off then? How about dinner?"  
__"You don't get a hint, don't you?"  
__"I just can't accept a no."  
__"Well then... No."  
__"How about coffee?"  
__"You do realize I just came from a 4-hour shift at a coffee shop, you know."  
__"Tea?"  
__"I don't drink tea."  
__"Have water with me then?"  
__"You're weird. Please, leave me alone or I'm calling the police."  
__"You have a boyfriend, then?"  
__"No."  
__"Husband?"  
__"Just leave me alone, okay?"  
__"You're married then."  
__"I'm not, okay! I have to study for an exam tonight."  
__"Oh, so you're a student."  
__"Yes. A very busy student."  
__"How about after your exam... Dinner?"  
__"Fine. Dinner after my exam."  
"Great!"  
__"I'm going now. Bye."_

She probably thought she was on the safe side by then, he forgot to take her number. But he was not about to give up, a little flirting with the manager of the coffee shop was the solution he needed to his little problem. He got her number before the end of the day.

He planned a romantic dinner in one of town's best restaurant to impress her. But to his surpise, she told him to meet her somewhere. They ate in a small pizza parlor. They talked, he flirted, she did a bit too. He didn't expect her to be the kind of girl who slept on the first date, but she was one of those girls. Just as he suspected... It's either his money or his body, he guesses it's his body this time around with her. They checked in on one of his hotels but she didn't know that. The next morning, all he found was a note from her, the first time someone left him before he left them first.

_"I had a feeling you'd be here."  
__"I know, I had a feeling I'd be here too."  
__"What do you want?"  
__"Some coffee, I guess, since this is a coffee shop and an explanation."  
__"It was a one time thing."  
"You do that often?"  
__"A first, actually."  
"I'm touched. But I'm not willing to let it go like that. Have dinner with me again."  
__"What part of one time did you not understand?"  
__"The part where you're still saying no to me after the fun time we had last night. Don't even deny you didn't enjoy it."_

She was simple. He was not. He liked her more than anybody he's ever been with. He figured he could keep her for a few months then break it off with her gently. Or maybe not gently. For the first few weeks they dated, he was kind, sweet, fake, so fake. He started to let his true self slip after a few weeks. And he knew she did not approve but still, she stayed. Something he was surprised at.

_"I have an exam tomorrow, I need to go."  
__"Does it look like I care?"  
__"I'm going, okay?"  
__"No, you're not."_

_"You've got no decency, don't you?"  
__"What did I do?"  
__"I was there, right infront of you!"  
__"And?"  
"I have no idea what to do with you. I give up."  
__"What did I do?"  
__"So tell me, did she say yes to you?"  
__"Oh, her."  
__"Did she?"  
__"She most certainly did but don't worry, baby, I'm not going."_

He did go. He went everytime someone offered, he went everytime someone said yes. She didn't know. She would never know, he made sure of that. And if ever she did find out, he figured she shouldn't really give that much care about it. She was the only one he ever took home to his apartment, she even knew his security code. He's going to remind her of that, he knows that's going to make her feel special. Women liked that. But he soon found out that she wasn't like other women.

His first mistake was not finding out who her friends were. The next mistake he took was sleeping with one of them. Unbenownst to him, her friends like to tell all. And she found out through one of their daily conversations.

_"You slept with her. Tell me, how many have you slept with other than her?"  
__"Everytime you had an exam, I go out."  
__"Bastard."  
__"Ouch. That really cuts deep, baby."  
__"I hate you, you know."  
__"Well what do you want me to do now?"  
__"I want you to change."_

He followed her out his apartment and right infront of his eyes, it happened.

_Chapter 2 preview:_

_He comes and visits everyday.  
__He brings her flowers everyday.  
__It's been a month now. _

This fic is not yet finished. So please, **REVIEW. REVIEW**.

Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He comes and visits everyday.

He brings her flowers everyday. He places them on a vase beside her bed. He also brings a new cd everyday. He paid for the two rooms beside hers so that his request to play music 24 hours a day for her would be permitted. He didn't want her to hear the beeps of the monitors and the pumping of her respirator that were all hooked to her.

It's been a month now. Her scars have healed now, they were just waiting for her to wake up. Hoping that is. Hoping for the best.

He tells her about his day each time he visits. He tells her how many offers from women he has declined that day. He tells her how he misses her. How he wants her to wake up and see her smiling face.

_"Would you like to hear a funny story that happened today? Do you remember my business partner? His wife came to the office today and she heard some people talking about his husband. She found out he was having an affair... She came marching in the middle of our meeting and started to hit her husband with her purse. And I'm telling you, baby, you should have seen his face during the whole ordeal and you should also see the size of her purse."_

_"I had dinner alone last night again, it's getting lonely, you should wake up now and have dinner with me. I turned down the waitress and a lady from the bar, that makes two. What's our count now? 36 women now? C'mon, baby, if you don't wake up soon I'm gonna say yes to one of them. You'd better be awake to hit me with your purse just like my associate's wife."_

He was surprise on the 31st day another man came to visit her

_"Who are you?"_  
_"I'm her brother. Who are you?"  
"I'm her boyfriend."  
"She didnt tell me about you."  
"She didn't tell me about you either."  
"She's my half-sister. They left a message on my machine, I was out of the country for almost two months. How long have you two been dating?"  
"Almost two months, almost three counting the days since her accident."  
"What happened?"  
"She got hit by a car."_

He felt guilty not telling her brother it was his fault she got hit. If they did not get into that argument, she should have still been okay right now. Her brother left after a few days of visit.

_"Take care of her, okay?"__  
"I will."__  
"Call me when she wakes up."__  
"I'll do that."_

He was left all alone to care for her again. Something he has no regret or complaints of doing. He loved her. He knew that now. If only she would wake up so that he could finally say those three words for the first time in his life and trully mean it.

_  
Chapter 3 preview:_

_ He had no choice but to leave her.  
He ran through the corriders of the hospital._

This is quite short. The following chapters would be to, I think. I'm just planning on around 4 chapters for this fic. And as you've all noticed no names have been mentioned on this fic. I'd like to keep it that way. Lol. And in case you're wondering, her brother's Lindsey. :)

Review... _PLEASE?_  
Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He had no choice but to leave her. It was only going to be for a week. He had to attend to a business meeting in France. The day before he left, he did his daily task, talk to her and tell her about his day.

_"I know this is short-noticed, baby, but I'm leaving for a week tomorrow. I already pre-ordered your flowers, don't worry about that. And I already instructed the nurses here to change your music everyday. I'll be back before you know it. I promise. Don't go waking up without me here, okay? Well... It's alright really, I mean, it'll all be good if you do."  
_  
She did wake up, two days after he left for France. The nurse forgot to change her music and it stopped. The nurse walked in a few hours later and found her staring up the ceiling. The nurse immediately called the doctor. The doctor came and checked her over not once did she speak a word.

The nurse who forgot to change her music also forgot to call him. The nurse called him a day after she woke up. He received the call and without any word left France leaving his associates hanging. He caught the first flight out of there to see her.

He ran through the corridors of the hospital, earning him numerous angry glances from those he bumped into. He stopped when he reached the door of her room and opened it slowly. She was sitting up, staring at nothing until she noticed him standing there. She looked at him.

_"The music stopped."  
"Welcome back."  
"The music stopped, I kept waiting for your voice to talk to me but you didn't..."  
"I'm sorry. I was away."  
"You left me."  
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry. I'll never leave you again."  
"You promise?"__  
"I promise."_

He walked closer to her and afraid to touch her fragile state, he took her hand and placed a kiss on it. He looked at her, his eyes smiling through and through.

_"I'm glad you're awake. I really am."  
"I think I missed you."  
"Please, take me home? I hate hospitals."  
"I'll ask the doctor when you can go home."  
"I want to get away from this place."_

With everything being fine with her, the doctor released her five days after she woke up. He arrived early that day, packed the few stuff she had and pushed her on the wheelchair. He carried her into his car seat and buckled her seatbelt for her.

_"Do you have my apartment keys?"  
"Yeah."_

He looked at her with concerned eyes.

_"You're staying with me."  
"What?"  
"I said, you're staying with me."  
"I have an apartment."  
"You can't even walk, how do you expect to live alone?"  
"You're doing it again, you're dictating my life."  
"I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna leave you alone so that you could stand up in the middle of the night, fall, and crack your head open!"  
"I'm staying with a friend of mine."  
"Nobody even knows you were in the hospital. You only had two visitors your whole stay. I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think your friends give a shit about you."  
"That's cos' they're mad at me."  
"Mad at you? About what?"  
"When I bitch slapped her for you."__  
"What?"__  
"They all got mad at me when I turned on her. They said it wasn't her fault, that it was yours."_

He looked at her, surprised at what she just said. He had no idea she did that.

_"You fought with your friends over me?"  
"Don't get too excited. She was a slut anyway, I know that. And she knew we were going out. You said two visitors, who was the other one?"  
"Your brother."  
"He came?"  
"They called him up. I promised him I'd take care of you."  
"How is he?"  
"You didn't tell me you have a brother."  
"You didn't tell me anything."_

He kept quiet for the remainder of the trip home. It was true. He never told her anything about himself. The most he gave her was completely built and founded on lies.

_No preview this time around..._

This one's short, as I have told you all before. LOL. I already finished the fic, yay me. But I'm still finding time to upload it chapter by chapter. I've got tests coming up. :)

Please review, THANKS!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

He had someone prepare her room for her. When they arrived, everything was set and all he had to do was carry her to the bed. But she refused, wanting to walk on her own. He walked behind her, ready to catch her if she falls. She didn't. But she gave up half-way through, she looked at him for help. With a nod, he swooped her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom and layed her down on the bed.

_"If you need any help, just call me, okay? Just press this."  
_

He pointed to a button installed on her bedside table. She looked at it and then at him strangely.

_"What do you have this for in your house?"  
"I had it installed yesterday."  
"Oh."  
"So that you could call me if you need anything."  
"I'll try my best not to use it."_

He sighed in defeat.

_"You go to sleep now, okay? I'll come back later with dinner."  
"Okay."_

Half an hour later, he entered the room and went straight to the player beside the bed. She was watching him.

_"What are you doing?"  
"You're awake."  
"I can't sleep. What are you doing?"  
"It's been a habit of mine to play you music everyday."  
"I never did find out why you kept on playing music for me. I don't think I heard it."  
"I didn't want you to hear the machines around you."_

She looked at him, trying to figure out why he was doing this. Of why he stuck by her side the whole time. He looked at her with one last smile after which he went towards the door to leave her to her slumber.

_"Wait."  
"Do you need anything else?"  
"Stay with me."_

He looked at her as she reached out her hand towards him. He took it and slipped inside the bed. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

_"I want to hear your heartbeat. Stay with me till' I fall asleep."_

Sorry this is SO short. Next chapter's coming soon, promise. Review please! Thanks. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After a week inside her room, she decided to come out and experience living again. She still had a little trouble walking around for her muscles were not that strong yet. The farthest she reached the first day she decided to leave her room was the main lobby of his apartment. She stayed there for a few hours, sitting and wondering what to do.

_"Sir."  
__"What is it?"  
__"It's your lady-friend."  
__"What about her?"  
__"She's been sitting there for a few hours now."  
__"Where?"  
__"Over there, sir."  
_  
He looked over at the couch where she was sitting, her back to him. He approached her and sat down beside her.  
_  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Thinking."  
"Thinking about what?"  
"My life."  
"You're going to be okay. I'll take care of you."_

She smiled at him sadly.

_"I have to go in time, you know that right?"  
"I know that but I'm not gonna let you go this time."  
"Just like you let me go that night..."_

She looked away from him and looked out towards the street where it happened. He followed her gaze and he too stared at the scene of the accident.

_"Did you cry?"  
"I don't remember anything from that night."_

He trully didn't. It was too hard for him to recall what happened to him, all he could remember was his heart stopping and everything else becoming a big blur. He has regretted a lot of days in his life but that day was the day he regretted the most. Having someone accept him completely and betray her, he regretted it. He didn't know what she felt that night she found out about him, but he figured it was close to what he felt when he saw her being hit by the car.

_"I'm sorry."_

He whispered as he looked at her. She looked at him, reflecting the sadness he had in his eyes.

_"I really am."  
"Don't be."  
"Reassure me that you've forgiven me. Please."  
"I can't tell you that. I haven't forgiven you completely. It still hurts."  
"I've changed. I've changed for you."_

He did change. She noticed and she did not know how to react to his change. He was more caring.

When she already had the strength to go out, they had dinners in restaurants every night. And not once did he look or show any interest in any other woman. His focus was solely on her.

_"I'm moving back to my apartment tomorrow."  
"What?"  
"I think I can live on my own now."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay then. I'll help you settle back in you apartment tomorrow."_

She was surprised at his agreement. She expected him to once again dictate to her how weak she is but he didn't. The next day, he woke up earlier than her and prepared breakfast. They ate in silence, both sneaking glances at each other. The only time he finally said something was the moment he was already leaving her in her apartment.  
_  
"You'll call me when you need anything, right?"  
"I will."  
"Good. Don't hesitate, okay?"  
"I won't."  
"I'll miss you."  
"I'm just here."  
"I know."_

He placed quick kiss on her forehead and with a sad smile, left her by her self.

This is quite longer. I think. 2 more chapters + an epilogue for this fic. Hope you guys review. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

She did not call. She did not plan on calling. He waited in vain for her call but it never came. For one week, he did not hear anything from her. He worried. He passed by her building three times a day just to catch a glimpse of her, to reassure that she's alright but he never saw her. Never.

What he did not know was she left town two days after he dropped her off on her apartment.

She came back three days later and was surprised to find a bundle of letters on her mailbox. It was all from him. As she made her way up to her room, she read the first one.

_I was hoping to catch you but you weren't here. Have dinner with me?_

_Where are you? Your neighbor told me you left yesterday. Call me when you get back._

_You're still not here... I can't contact your cellphone. Call me when you get back._

Her answering machine was also full of his voice messages.  
_  
Hey. Your probably annoyed now but I just want to see how you're doing. Please. Call me. I miss you._

She didn't return any of his calls. She knew he would find her eventually and he did. She was walking in the park across the coffee shop when she heard his voice from behind her.

_"Where were you?"_

She turned around in surprise. He was looking at her intently, trying to find

_"How did you find me?"  
"I was walking to the coffee shop and I saw you."  
"You weren't stalking me, were you?"  
"I was just sulking. How have you been?"  
"Good. I visited my brother."  
"Why didn't you tell me, I could have come with you."  
"It was a spur of the moment thing. I needed to take some time off."  
"I'm sorry."  
"Could you stop being sorry?"_

She looked at him irritatingly. His new personality was getting quite annoying for her. She felt like he was so weak and for some reason she felt responsible for all this. It was not fitting for him to be weak, he had a strong personality before they met and she feels like it's her fault he was now weak.

They had dinner that night, he insisted and since she had something to tell him she accepted. She looked at him for a long time, thinking if it was the right time to tell him her news that night.

_"I'm moving."_

He kept quiet as he looked back at her.  
_  
"You're not gonna say anything?"  
"I can't stop you, can't I? What's the point then. Where are you moving?"  
"San Francisco, I'm moving in with my brother. He wants me there."_

He nodded. He wanted her here too but he had no choice, she was free to do whatever she wants. They weren't together like they were before. He went back to eating and did his best to stop the feeling of pain getting the best of him. He was not going to give in to the tears that were threatening to come out, not right now, not right infront of her.

1 more chapter and and epilogue to go! Please review... Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

He's been trying to tell himself that he should let her move freely. That he did not control her life. He stared out his window for a long time trying to realize what had happened to him. He closed his eyes and thought deeply. He realized a lot of things in his moment of contemplation. He did everything wrong. She asked him to change and he did it wrong. He changed because of the guilt he felt. That was the reason she didn't trust him anymore, that's the reason she would not accept the change that happened to him. Also in his moment of contemplation, he realized that guilt aside, he loves her. And that everything he's doing, giving her everything, was not because of his guilt, it was because of his love for her.

He opened his eyes and looked at his clock. He knew what to do now. He ran. He caught her outside her apartment, a few pieces of luggage beside her.

_"Don't go, I don't want you to go."  
"You can't stop me."  
"I love you."  
"Don't do this now. Please, okay?"  
"No, look at me, I mean it. I love you."  
"You're just saying that because you feel guilty of what happened to me!"  
"No. I mean what I said and what I'm going to say, I love you."  
"Don't mix love with guilt and empathy."  
"Why won't you accept the fact that you made me love you right from the very start?!"  
"Cos' you didn't."  
"What do you want me to do to prove it to you?"_

He walked towards the middle of the street and stood there as he looked at her.

_"What are you doing!? Get back here."  
"No. I'm going to prove to you that I really love you."  
"A car is coming, get back here! You're going to get hit!"  
"NO. Not until you tell me you believe me."  
"You're going to get hit!"  
_

He looked at the incoming car and then he looked at her, waiting for her to say something.

_"I believe you!"_

She screamed, the sound of the car's honking startling her into acceptance.

_"I believe you!"  
"I knew it."_

He smiled as he walked out of the road just in time. He walked over to her and smiled widely. He took her hands in his.

_"Don't go. Stay. Please. Please."_

She looked at him for a few seconds, trying to figure out what it is inside her that really

_"I don't want you to be that guy."  
"What guy?"  
"The guy that does everything his girlfriend says just to please her. I want you to be you. I want you to be your old you."  
"I don't want to be my old self, you'll hate me back again."  
"I didn't hate your old self. I loved you even back then."  
"I thought you wanted me to change?"  
"I just wanted you to give up one bad habit."  
"Women?"  
"No, not women. Other women."  
"I could do that."  
"So you're going to be your old self now?"  
"I'll try but I think it's going to be hard."_

He smiled knowingly.

_"Liar."_


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_"Angel!"  
"What?"_

He looked at her irritatingly and she looked at him, warning him. He dropped the scowl and smiled at her.

_"Yes, baby?"  
"You're doing it again."  
"I can't help it."_

He shrugged as he looked back at their son and started to baby talk to him again.

_"I told you not to do that."  
"He likes it. See?"  
"He's probably just laughing at the way you look talking like that. And so are other people."_

He looked around and glared at the man beside their table who was looking at him strangely.

_"Don't start a fight."_

She warned him, knowing the look he was giving the other man.

_"I'm not going to. Especially not infront of Damien."  
"Good."_

He went back to talking to their son, making her smile. They got married a few months after he stopped her from going away. They tried for a baby for months but to her disapointment and to his guilt once again, they found out that she had a laceration on her uterus because of the accident and that it would be difficult for her to conceive a child or carry it into full term. She was down for weeks after that, and he on the other hand reverted to his old guilty self. The one that she did not want anything to do with.

He started to distance himself from her then on and they were on the verge of a divorce when one night of passion from a fight gave them their miracle. She found out a month later she was pregnant and it made them closer again and all thoughts of divorce went out the window without any other word.

Damien Matthew Angelus was born 7 and a half months later, weighing 9 lbs., to a very exhausted mother and a very thrilled father. That was six months ago and the family could not be any happier.

He smiled at her as she watched them. Her son and her husband. Her son who came just in time to save his parents' marriage... And her husband who realized that being changed by guilt was not as effective as being changed by the heart...

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**THE END**

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** hope you guys liked the story:D  
**


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